UX research 370 Jay St Lobby Design

Project Brief:

Redesigning NYU Tandon's 370 Jay St lobby - a UX research project for Ideation & Prototypes class.
Role: UX Researcher / Programmer
Group member: Josh Chen, Joanne Tang, Sina Shi, Liqian Zhang
Timeline: 7 weeks.

Problem Solution / Prototype

Based on the data we got from surveys & interviews, we decided to create multiple digital screens in the lobby space in order to display useful information:

  • The screen on the back wall: will be displaying floor plans for each floor.
  • The screen on the floor: will be displaying useful data such as train time, and current weather. The screen will also display 370 Jay's student work by submitting, and sustainable prompts such as the "take the stairs" action.
  • The screens on top of the elevator will be displaying digital plants. The plants are interactive. While there are people taking the stairs, it will blossom. *All screen will be powered by 370 Jay's heat waste.

We look for some digital plants. With the help of Ultrasonic Sensor, we create an interactive object by the stairs. When there are people passing the sensor. The flower blossom. Based on the feedback we gained in class, we also added functions to count how many people pass. We've also featured a special prompt. In the video we coded as the passing people can be divided by 3, will show the special prompt. This is just for displaying purposes but in the reality, we think the passing number can be divided by 10 will be a good number.

The team also created some graphics for displaying on the digital screen. We don't want to force or tell people to take the stairs. Because no one will listen. That's why we decide to use graphics and interactive objects to encourage people to take the stairs if they have time. In the future, we are thinking on blend in the NYU logo to improve NYU's identity and it could be a recognized site of 370 Jay.

Research Background

Definition of Sustainability

  • Sustainability is a societal goal that broadly relates to the ability of people to safely co-exist on Earth over a long time.
  • Specific definitions of sustainability are difficult to agree on and have varied in the literature and over time.
  • The LEED (Leadership in Engergy and Environmental Design) standards: save money, improve efficiency, lower carbon emissions and create healthier places for people.

370 Jay Street

Opened in 1951 and was designed to be the a central headquarters of the New York City Board of Transportation Renovated by NYU in 2012 throughout a five-year process involving approvals from the Public Design Commission Officially used as the NYU Tandon School of Engineering Building in 2018 Contains approximately 20,000 square feet of ground floor

Sustainability Measures

  • Installed over 1,000 high efficiency windows with solar shading devices to reduce energy consumption.
  • A "dedicated outdoor air" HVAC system with heat recovery to reduce utility usage.
  • A lighting system with sensors to adjust the electric lighting levels.
  • A massive thermal ice storage system to reduce waste heat.
  • Have received multiple design and sustainability awards including the LEED Platinum.

How could we increase sustainability in the 370 Jay Street Lobby through community engagement?

Design Process & Timeline

Secondary Research Analysis

  • "Three design elements helping to improve the sustainability of a structure are (1) renewable energy, (2) sustainable materials, and (3) cogeneration heating systems. "
  • "Most energy production results in greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change. Conventional energy consumption also results in resource depletion, as the fossil fuels that the process uses will not be replenished during our lifetimes. "
  • "Creating environmental preconditions to support sustainable behaviour is critical to achieving effective sustainable outcomes and that this can be done through data analysis and spatial mapping that locates human activity in place and culture."
  • “Sustainable design can be more expensive, but this is not always the case. A choice between two materials that have quite different environmental impacts could make no difference to the cost. Sustainable design can even save money, either in the short term, by omitting unnecessary components, or in the long term, by reducing energy bills or maintenance needs.”

Primary Research Analysis (Observation)

  • 5 digital screens
  • 1 greenwall (fake plants)
  • 6 elevators
  • 1 gallery
  • 1 art installation

Primary Research Analysis (Interviews)

From interviews with students, we found that both found the lobby cold and the only decoration - the digital wall that was just a screen, which is very boring. The lobby would be even more appealing if it included interactive devices (such as motion capture, which changes colors with the seasons and broadcasts useful information) Benny told us from the interview that she first thought the lobby was very unsustainable, with many of the devices unknowingly consuming extra energy. Second, there is a lack of effective information guidance in the lobby. Newcomers have no idea what is going on in the building, where the stairs lead, or what each floor represents (although we do have a wall covered in carved answers). In addition, the lobby can be made more comfortable, making it easier for people to enter the building.

Primary Research Analysis (Cultural Probes)

From the Cultural Probes map, we found that many people wanted the lobby to have more NYU elements and to provide more information about the different majors in this building.
Also, depending on the location people want to transform, they are not satisfied with the current digital wall and the wall behind the elevator. Some suggested that the digital wall could display Tandon's life or add interactivity, while others wanted it to be a community space.

Primary Research Analysis (Survey)

  • 24 students from IDM, CE, MOT & LTXD screened over a week
  • Short stay period and lack of engagement with the building lobby
  • More neutral feelings ("not sure", "normal"), then positive ("clean", "secure", "technology"), and negative ("like a company", "like a hotel")
  • Support sustainability in educational space, but their definitions of sustainability vary (green plants, seats, street lights, etc.)

Reflection & Conclusion

What did we get?

  • A deeper understanding of 370 Jay Street building's sustainable design.
  • Increase public awareness of NYU's sustainability.
  • Potential advertisements and education.

Aesthetic and representative spot

  • Interactive & Playful.
  • Memorable spot for the students, faculty, and visitors.

370 Jay Street building's lobby is just a starting point, we won't stop there

  • Use heat waste to offset the electricity for the prototype's installation.
  • Long-term plan.
  • Implement the concept of "sustainability" on the whole designs of the building .
  • We may partcipate in the NYU 2040 Now Sustainability Initiative.

What challenges did we meet?

Shifted from adding actual green plants to having digital green plants combined with data visualization of sustainable facts about the 370 Jay Street building.

Lacking resources & materials

  • Early stage: map of 370 Jay Street building's lobby.
  • Middle stage: inspiration of interactive installation.
  • Later stage: Arduino UNO.

For more information about project please visit here